Summer festival season may seem far away right now, especially if you're already seeing the signs of the coming biting winter weather. For independent bands looking to land spots at those shindigs, however, the time to apply for consideration has already begun.

There are tons of festival opportunities for independent artists, so to help you get started with applications, we've compiled a list of five awesome North American fests – all of them cost $10 or less to apply, and each is known to draw a huge crowds. Good luck!

This year's CMJ Music Marathon held countless standout performances, from indie rock to punk to EDM. Spread across New York City's most artistic and creative neighborhoods, musicians from around the world played their hearts out for us, but not every performance stopped us dead in our tracks. At the end of the weekend, we asked ourselves: What was it about the absolute best shows we saw that made them so impactful? Were they all perfect, flawlessly executed performances? Of course not! But they shared a few things in common that made them feel perfect.

Whether you're a festival veteran or looking to break your band into the scene, take a page from this year's CMJ performers on how to create memorable experiences worth talking about even after the fest ends.

Well, folks, it's that time of year again! Get your earplugs, tickets, and Instagram filters ready for New York City's best week of independent music, CMJ Music Marathon.

By now you've probably already recieved a few billion Facebook invites to events across the city, and you may be wondering, "Where do I start?" Don't worry, we've got you. While there's no limit on good music to fall in love with and informative panels to learn from, we've managed to narrow down our top picks for this year's CMJ. Feel free to leave a comment below with your CMJ must-sees, and you just might see some of the Sonicbids team there!

Calling all hip-hop artists: This week is your last chance to get on the bill for the 2015 A3C Hip Hop Festival in Atlanta, GA! Apply by September 19, and you could be one of 50 Sonicbids artists performing alongside some of the biggest names in hip-hop this October, including De La Soul, Rakim, and Cam'ron.